The real state of tours, activities and attractions distribution

First of all, apologies to Viator, Expedia and GetYourGuide...

Tours, activities and attractions – the in‐destination experience – has been one of hottest sectors of travel over the past several years.

TripAdvisor’s acquisition of Viator and continued growth, Airbnb’s launch of Experiences, Expedia’s new push, and more than $250 million raised by startups in just the last 15 months have propelled travel’s fastest growing sector into the industry spotlight.

The flurry of travel industry media coverage and conference discussion (a.k.a. hype) tends to focus on high‐profile startups and online travel agencies. And not without good reason.

Online sales of tours, activities and attractions is growing at a rapid pace, according to Phocuswright’s definitive study, but those who read closer also know this: in 2017 less than 5% of total sector sales came from OTAs.

The vast majority of the media coverage and industry discussion is about 5% of the market.

Arival, the only event dedicated to tours, activities and attractions, will assemble leading voices from the world of online distribution, but we will also focus on the whole picture and bring in voices and insights from the $150 billion sector that is tours, activities and attractions.

Should operators of tours, activities and attractions focus their marketing and distribution through travel’s rapidly growing online channels? Of course they should.

But companies that do so exclusively may be missing the bigger opportunity – 95% of a $150 billion marketplace.

* Arival is the event dedicated to advancing the business of creating amazing in‐destination experiences through inspiration, education and community for tours, activities and attractions. Join us September 24‐27 in Las Vegas as we celebrate the Best Part of Travel, unlock our industry’s biggest opportunity, and establish tours, activities and attractions as the essential sector of travel it deserves to be.